Davy Fitzgerald has been officially appointed as the new manager of the Wexford senior hurling team.

The appointment was made at a special meeting of Wexford County Board held in the Riverside Park Hotel in Enniscorthy on Friday night.

The nomination and appointment followed a detailed meeting at a Portlaoise hotel the previous day (Thursday) between Fitzgerald and six members of the Wexford Senior Hurling Management Selection Committee: Diarmuid Devereux (County Chairman), Margaret Doyle (County Secretary), Dermot Howlin, Philip Howlin, George Foley, and John Conran.

The Selection Committee members interviewed many contenders for the role during the previous two weeks, and were most impressed by Fitzgerald, who recently departed the managerial role in his native Clare. He was their unanimous choice as new Wexford manager, and he provisionally accepted the role on Thursday night, pending approval at Friday night’s County Board meeting.

The appointment is for a three-year term, with a review to take place after year two.

Fitzgerald said: "I am really excited about this opportunity with Wexford, and I was honoured to be asked to accept the job. It’s a new challenge for me, and I’m really looking forward to it."

County Board Chairman, Diarmuid Devereux, said: "On behalf of Wexford County Board and Wexford GAA supporters, I welcome Davy to County Wexford. He is an ideal fit for our young senior hurling squad, and I am excited about the prospects for the future. The initial aim will be for Wexford to move from Division 1B of the National Hurling League up to Division 1A, and then to build on that."

No decisions have yet been made on who will form Fitzgerald’s backroom team in Wexford. JJ Doyle the former U21 hurling manager will form part of that team.

At the County Board meeting many delegates expressed thanks to Liam Dunne and his backroom team for the professionalism and dedication they brought to Wexford hurling over the past five years.